


Going Steady

by sksNinja



Series: Couldn't Hate You If I Tried [4]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, I fucking love flowers, M/M, Oh my god boys are dumb, relationships are hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-20
Updated: 2015-09-20
Packaged: 2018-04-22 12:25:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4835276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sksNinja/pseuds/sksNinja
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What were they anyways?  Unusually close friends?  Fuck Buddies?  Boyfriends!?  Damn, names are hard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Going Steady

**Author's Note:**

> More sappy ZoSan drabbles. Enjoy.

Zoro and Sanji’s tentative relationship stayed secret for all of the 30 seconds it took for them walk out into the backyard.

 

Nami turned to their disheveled appearances smiled, and made some lewd comment about Zoro showing up late only to ‘finish early.’  When both parties went silent and red-face instead of denying it the whole group devolved into a series of laughter and cheers.  Luffy chimed in with a, “See I told you it’d be fine!”  Before Sanji snapped to chase the brat away from the remaining BBQ.

 

Whatever their relationship was, it was fragile.  The first couple weeks were… learning experiences.  One had to learn that words are important.  That showing up at someone’s door and glaring at them until they made out with you wasn’t an effective strategy.  That you had to be careful what you read online.  That not everything is effective as a lube.  Yet despite the shortcomings and messups, despite their generally awkward behavior and their friends teasing,  it seemed to work.   _They_ seemed to work.

 

I mean sure, it takes time to figure things out.  Learn what you what you do and don’t like.  Green pubic stuck in your teeth?  Just fucking deal with it.  That ticklish spot under the knee?  Surefire way to getting kicked in the head.  Gently pulling on his hair while you mumble something about holy-shit-you’re-gonna-fucking-die?   _Very_ good.

 

Yet there was always more to learn, sometimes the other would get angry at the smallest stupid thing, and wouldn’t tell you what it was, and you had to stomp around your stupid little house wondering what the fuck you did _this_ time.

 

Zoro kicked off his shoes, stomped over to the TV, threw himself on the couch, and racked his brain over what he must have done wrong.  Sanji was pissed, that much was clear.  He had been somewhat distant the past week, but wouldn't give any reason as to why.  He’d even tried to be magnanimous about it and ask, but all that had accomplished was flavorful language, speculations about intelligence, and being sent home.  Zoro had to admit he was a bit out of his depth in this situation.  As much as he hated it, he knew he needed help.

 

\---

 

“Look Zoro,”  Usopp said, while stirring honey into his tea.  “I’m flattered you came to me for advice and normally I’d act all clever and all knowing, but I really don’t know what to do in this kind of situation more than you do.”

 

Zoro rubbed his palms over his face and sighed.  “Look, you and Kaya have been ‘not-dating-dating’ for almost as long as I’ve known you.  You’ve got to have some idea.”

 

“Well I, aha- I mean,”  Usopp stuttered and tangled his fingers in his curly hair.  “I-  I mean me and Kaya,  I mean Kaya and I, we a-heh,”  He laughed shortly and seemed to realize he hadn’t actually said anything.  

 

Usopp shook his head and started over.  “Kaya’s special.”  He leaned forward seriously.  “She and I have known each other for years, and I- well I’ve probably felt something for her from the very beginning and-”  His eyes took on a far off look for a few moments before snapping back to Zoro.  “And besides!  We _are_ dating!  All official and everything.”  He crossed his arms and leaned back, nodding sagely.  

 

“In fact, before you arrived at the BBQ Kaya and I had a real heart to heart talk, and I- I told her.” Usopp looked down and began twiddling his thumbs.

 

“I told her I enjoyed spending time with her and I asked if she liked being with me and if she wanted to go steady and-”  Zoro swallowed a scoff at the phrase.  Usopp’s cheeks darkened as he stood and waved a finger at Zoro’s.  “Don’t you laugh at me!  She said she’d love to go out with me and was glad I’d finally worked up the courage to ask!”

 

Usopp sat back down with a dreamy look in his eyes.  “I took her to the botanical gardens just yesterday to celebrate three whole months together.  We kissed under an archway of honeysuckles and, and…” He sighed fondly.

 

Usopp’s brain floated miles away as something irked in the corner of Zoro’s mind. “Three months..” he commented softly.  Had it had been that long?  It barely felt like more than a week, and yet thinking back to before they were… whatever they are, it was a lifetime ago.  

 

Maybe, he thought, maybe that was the problem.  What were they anyways?  Uncommonly close friends?  Fuck buddies?  Had he even considered the term “boyfriend”?  Thier communication had improved dramatically, but that wasn’t something they’d talked about.  Shit.  Usopp and Kaya celebrated some anniversary bullshit.  Was he supposed to have done something for Sanji?   What day would even count?   The night at the BBQ?   The first time he went down on Sanji?  That fantastic night at his place where they finally figured out the balance between snarky attitude and lube, and the two had made love like he never thought possible?...

 

Zoro stood abruptly, downed the rest of his lukewarm coffee, thanked a startled Usopp and left.    He was going to set the record straight, one way or another.

  
\---

 

Sanji was in the back corner of the kitchen on chopping duty for the rest of the night.  He was too irate for anything else.  He couldn’t even say why he was upset.  That was the main part of the problem.  All he knew was that his anger somehow involved Zoro and his stupid attitude.  

  


There would be times in the middle of the day where he’d just get so overwhelmed with a sudden rush of goddam feelings for the green-haired dumbass only to look over at the man and see none of the affection reflected back.  The bastard would be yawning at the TV or fucking picking a wedgie with a fucking ‘what you looking at?’ expression.  

 

It shouldn’t bother him.  This was Zoro after all.  They weren’t even official really.  I mean, sure, all their friends knew they were sleeping together, and none of them were seeing anyone else, but they hadn’t really worked out the details. They didn’t even have a name for it yet.  They were close, and in more ways than one, but what did that mean?  Did they even need a word for it?  Sanji rubbed his forehead with his wrist.  It certainly would feel better if they did.

 

Sanji’s mind looped in self-destructive circles until Patty hit him with a wooden spoon to the back of the head.  “I said there’s a dumbass out front asking for you.”  He threw Sanji an irritated look.

 

A dumbass?   Well Zoro’s a dumbass for sure, but what would Zoro be doing here?   They hadn’t exactly left on good terms last time they saw each other.  They’d been leaning close together on the couch watching Netflix, not quite cuddling, when Zoro had pushed him off with the comment of ‘too warm.’  It shouldn’t have been that big of a deal, but it’d made him snap.  He’d all but kicked Zoro out of the house and hadn’t bothered to explain why.  Not that Sanji could explain it to himself any better.  

 

It was probably someone else.  Sanji rinsed his hands, wiped them on his apron and stepped out of the kitchen.  

 

A few steps into the front room Sanji stopped short.  It was Zoro after all, but it wasn’t Zoro in the way he was expecting.  This Zoro looked like a stick about to snap.  For one he was dressed in an (albite wrinkled) white button up dress shirt and some stiff looking khaki pants.   His face was scrunched in a way that looked like he had a tablespoon of cinnamon in his mouth and was struggling not to choke.  Perhaps the most surprising of all was the bouquet of flowers whose stems were swiftly being crushed.

 

Sensing eyes on him Zoro cranked his head in his direction, looked as though he might have swallowed said mouthful of cinnamon, and ungracefully stomped to stand in front of Sanji.  The restaurant was busy enough but they had attracted the attention of a few onlookers.  Zoro looked upset.  Was he angry?  What was up with the fucking flowers?  Had someone died?!

 

“Did something happen?  What are you-?” Sanji started before Zoro shoved the flowers into Sanji’s confused arms.

 

Zoro’s entire face was beet red as he took a breath, made perfect eye contact, and spoke as if reading a script,  “You frustrate and piss me off more than anyone I’ve ever met, but there is no one I’d rather spend my time with.”  He took another breath before continuing.  “I don’t know if you feel the same but I care about you and WillYouGoOutWithMe!”  The last few words ran together as though he wouldn't get them out any other way.  Zoro’s eye contact failed as he turned to the side.  He ground his teeth and clenched his fists painfully at his sides.

 

Sanji stood shocked for a few moments before he looked down at flowers in his arms.  It was a mixture of white lilies and blue iris with a smattering of light pink baby's breath to give it body.   It was a pleasant arrangement and the plastic wrapping wrinkled as he drew it closer to himself.  He was speechless.

 

Zoro nodded, wilting slightly. “Ok.  I’m going to go now.”  He turned swiftly to leave.

 

Sanji’s face snapped back up. “THE FUCK ARE YOU GOING!?”  he yelled and grabbed Zoro’s shoulder turning him back around.  “You think you can tell me shit like that and just leave?!”  Sanji grabbed a handful of Zoro’s stupid fucking shirt and slammed the confused idiot's mouth into his, desperately trying to portray how much he liked the stupid fucking flowers, and the goddamn romantic gesture, and how very much yes, he would like to go out with him.  

 

Sanji pulled back slowly pleased with the glazed expression on Zoro’s face. “Although,” Sanji started with a smirk.  “If we’re going to go out for serious you’re going to have to learn how to iron a shirt.” He smoothed his hands on Zoro’s collar.

 

Zoro scoffed red-faced and brushed the laughing blond off.  “Fuck you then, I’m going home.”  Zoro turned to leave again and this time Sanji let him.  

 

Turning back to the kitchen Sanji pulled out his phone.  

 

_“Thanks for the flowers, I really do like them.”_

_“You’re welcome shit-head, I thought the blue went good with your stupid eyes.”_

_“'Went well' you mean.  We’ll have to work on your grammar too.”_

_“Ass.  What time are you done tonight?”_

 

_“I’ll be out in a few hours, you had something in mind?”_

 

_“Nah, just thought I’d spend some time with my boyfriend.”_

 

Sanji’s heart clenched tightly and he read and reread that last text.  Fuck. He was so fucked.  He had been pissed all day, and it had taken all of ten minutes for that damn seaweed head to flip his mood from frustratingly irate to giddy and content.  He sent one final text before placing the flowers in water and finishing his shift.

  
_“Boyfriend huh?  Sounds perfect.”_


End file.
